Yes, empathy is now considered a skill!
It is about your ability to listen to others (whether they are clients or your closest environment). To be kind, to put yourself in their shoes in order to understand them better. Here are at least 4 benefits of adopting empathy in your company.

•  1 - Listening to others means appreciating them, giving them time and attention. This inevitably improves communication. It prevents conflict and reduces tension.
•  2 - Empathy makes you a true leader, caring and attentive. Leading a team means knowing it well, knowing how to motivate it and creating the right conditions for it to perform and develop.
•  3 - Empathy strengthens relationships. Listening allows us to get to know each other better, to create meaningful bonds that stand the test of time.
•  4 - A client who feels listened to, no matter how difficult or demanding, is a happy client. We could even coin a saying: what is better than a customer who has been listened to? A customer who has been understood.

Finally, empathy is something that can be worked on. Being aware of other people's feelings does not come naturally, especially in the beginning. One last piece of advice, empathy always pays off!